FARNBOROUGH , July 23 — Aerospace has turned the page on an unprecedented pandemic demand shock with dozens new orders at its largest air show in three years — only to face mounting worries over supply chains and reminders that its future hinges on decarbonisation.
Even the Farnborough Airshow struggled to find enough hospitality staff despite downsizing from a seven-day aviation festival to a five-day trade show with no weekend aerobatics. Long lines formed at Britain’s airports, Eurostar train terminal and the port of Dover yesterday— the start of the busiest travel weekend since 2019.
Now, global supply chains need fixing and Western factories and the airlines they serve are also beset by problems. Longer term, analysts say supply chains are likely to get shorter. “Population growth says travel is going to continue strong, so production rates have strong fundamentals behind them,” said Stephen Timm, president of Collins Aerospace.
The future of the MAX, in the wake of two fatal crashes, a two-year grounding and ongoing regulatory issues, is key for the aerospace industry and airlines that have invested hundreds of billions of dollars in making or buying the medium-haul planes.